Leveraging, Checking, and Structuring Faculty Discretion to Advance Full Participation

Abstract

Abstract:Discretion and faculty exercise of judgment in discretionary spaces are pervasive and essential to full participation. Through everyday engagement with policies, practices, and routines, faculty are in an ideal position to see and address equity issues. However, because discretion can be enacted in ways that reproduce racialized organizations, and amplify privilege, we need checks and balances on faculty discretion in key domains. Sometimes, we need new boundaries within which faculty judgment and discretion reside. I consider these issues and examine strategies inside and outside higher education to leverage, check, and structure faculty judgment and discretion to advance full participation.